Wallet and automatically opening coin purse



D. J. NASH Deg. 16, 1958 WALLET AND AUTOMATICALLY OPENING COIN PURSE Filed Aug. 14, 1957 N VEN TOR DAN/2. J/WJH ATTORN EY United States Patent WALLET AND AUTOMATICALLY OPENING COIN PURSE Daniel J. Nash, Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Nash Inc, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 14, 1957, Serial No. 678,082 Claims. (Cl. 150-37) The present invention relates generally to improvements in wallets, and in particular it relates to a wallet provided with an improved self-opening receptacle for holding coins, tokens and the like.

It has long been conventional to provide a paper money containing wallet with a receptacle for coins or tokens in addition to the principal and various auxiliary pockets. It has also been proposed to effect a spring opening of the coin or token receptacle, in which case the closure member is provided with a latch member usually in the form of a snap fastener. However, wallets provided with receptacles for coins or tokens of the type heretofore employed or proposed possesses numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. Among these are the difficulties encountered in manipulating the receptacle closure member and latching means, an operation usually requiring the use of both hands; the bulk necessary to accommodate the latching means, etc.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved wallet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wallet of the type provided with a receptacle for coins or tokens.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wallet of the type having a selfopening receptacle for coins or tokens.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wallet having a self-opening coin or token recptacle with latching means which may be simply and easily operated.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a wallet constructed according to and embodying the present invention, the wallet per se being illustrated in open position and the receptacle for coins or tokens in closed position;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, the coin or token receptacle being illustrated by broken line in open position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 1, shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 1, shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved wallet comprising a plurality of panels secured along contiguous edges to form at least one pocket; a frame member including first and second U-shaped members including side legs, the ends of which are hinge-connected, said U-shaped members being movable between a closed spaced mutually confronting parallel position and an open mutually coangular position; spring means normally urging said U-shaped members to an open position; said first U-shaped member being secured to one of said panels, a panel secured to said second U-shaped member to define, therewith a receptacle closure member; resilient latching means adapted normally to retain said U-shaped members in closed position; and a boss located on one of said U-shaped members and directed toward the other of said U-shaped members and spaced from said latching means and defining a fulcrum about which said second U-shaped member may be rocked relative to the first thereof to elfect a release of said latching means.

Reference is now made to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the numeral 10 generally designates a wallet of sub stantially conventional construction except for the receptacle for coins or tokens 12 carried on the. inner face thereof and mounted thereon, as will be hereinafter set forth. The wallet 10 per se includes a front or outer panel 14 and a rear or inner panel 16 extending forthe full length of the wallet the confronting faces of which define a principal pocket. Formed integrally with and extending from the lower edge of the front panel 14 are a pair of laterally spaced rectangular panels 18, 18 which are folded over and superimposed upon the outer face of the rear panel 16 and over the upper edge thereof, the

longitudinal edge of the panels 18 and 16 being secured to each other to form supplementary pockets having openings at their inner edges 20. A window panel 22 is' secured along its outer and lower edges to one of panels 18 to form a card-receiving pocket, and the coin or token receptacle 12 is mounted on the outer face of the other panel 18.

Extending from one end of wallet 10 is a tongue 24 carrying adjacent its free end a male snap fastener 26 which cooperates with a female snap fastener 28 at the opposite end of front panel 14 to permit the releasable locking of the wallet 10 in folded position.

The receptacle 12 for coins or tokens includes a frame member comprising a first or lower U-shaped member 30 and a second or upper U-shaped member 32 each having parallel side legs 34 and 36, respectively, connected along their front ends by bridge members 38 and 40 respectively. The free ends of legs 34 and 36 arehinged to each other by means of pins 42 passing through openings formed in rearwardly projecting lugs carried by legs 34 and 36. Hairpinsprings 44 are also carried by pins 42 and are provided with outwardly sprung arms engaging legs 34 and 36 normally to urge the U-shaped members 30 and 32 to an open position.

The lower or first U-shaped member 30 includes upper and lower portions 46 and 48 respectively formed of metal strips, lower portion 46 having a transverse cross section including an upper horizontal arm 50, inner and outer depending legs 52 and 54, inner legs 54 terminating in an inwardly upwardly directed inclined locking arm 56 and outer leg 52 terminating in an upwardly directed hook portion 58. The upper portion 48 of the first U-shaped member 30 includes a horizontal arm 60 superimposed upon and secured to horizontal arm 50 of lower portion 46 and is provided along its outer edge with an upwardly extending leg 63 terminating in a downwardly directed hook portion 64 confronting the opposite hook portion 58.

The panel 18 upon which the receptacle 12 is mounted has a rectangular opening formed therein which is 'surrounded along its border with side flaps 65 and front and rear flaps 66 and 67 respectively. Registering with the opening in panel 18 is a liner 68, the side and front borders of which abut the corresponding flaps 65 and 66 and register with the downwardly directed opening in the lower portion of the U-shaped frame member 30, and are secured and locked in position by the arms 56.

The upper U-shaped frame member 32 is likewise formed of a strip of metal and includes a horizontal arm 69 having an inner upwardly extending leg 70 which terminates in an outwardly directed downwardly inclined locking arm 71. The upper U-shaped frame member 32 carries a pair of superimposed panels 72 and 73 defining a facing member and a lining member respectively. The side and front borders of panels 72 and 73 extend into the opening of upper frame member 32 and are secured in position between arms 69 and 71. Panels 72 and 73 are provided with rearwardly extending portions, the side and rear edges of which are secured to the corresponding edges of panel flaps 65' and 66 and liner 68 by means of a line of stitching 74, thereby to complete the receptacle pocket. A decorative strip 76 is entrapped between confronting hook members 64 and 58 and secured to the outwardly directed faces of legs 52 and 63.

The mechanism for releasably locking the U-shaped members 30 and 32 in closed position includes a latching element 77 in the form of a resilient arm having its lower end secured to the inner face of bridge 38 of the lower U-shaped frame member 30 intermediate the sides thereof and having an outwardly directed detent 78 formed adjacent its upper end. A latching recess is formed in inner leg 70 of the upper U-shaped frame member bridge portion 40 intermediate the ends thereof by cutting an upper horizontal slit and depending vertical slits in the bridge portion 40 to form a tongue 79, the upper portion of which is bent inwardly about the lower edge thereof to form the latching detent-receiving recess 80. It should be noted that lower leg 69 of the upper frame member 32 is spaced above the confronting face of arm 6t of the lower frame member 30 when the frame members 30 and 32 are in closed locked position, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. Moreover, the outwardly directed surface of the tongue 79 defines a cam surface which permits the urging of the latching member 77 inwardly upon upward movement of the bridge portion 40 thereby releasing the upper frame member 32 and permitting it to be spring swung into open position.

In order to facilitate the opening of the coin or token receptacle 12 a pair of laterally spaced upwardly directed bosses or projections 81 defining fulcrums are mounted on the arm 60 of the lower frame member 30 and extend toward the upper frame member 32 and are located between the latching element 77 and the side legs of the lower frame member. The upper faces of the bosses 81 are in substantial abutment with the underface of the upper frame member leg 69 when the receptacle is in closed latched position.

In order to effect an opening of the receptacle 12 downward finger pressure is applied to either front corner of the upper frame member. The downward finger pressure causes a rotation of the frame member about a corresponding projection or fulcrum 81 to raise the latching recess carrying portion of the upper frame member bridge 40 above the level of the latching detent 78 thereby to effect release of the upper frame member 32 and to permit the upper arms of springs 44 to swing it into open position. The receptacle is closed merely by swinging the upper frame member in closed position until the latch detent 78 engages the latching recess 80.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. An improved wallet comprising a plurality of panels secured along contiguous edges to form at least one pocket, a frame member including first and second U-shaped members having bridge portions and side legs, the ends of said side legs being hinge-connected whereby said first U-shaped member is movable relative to said second U-shaped member between a closed mutually confronting parallel position and an open mutually angular position, spring means engaging said first U-shaped member and normally urging said first U-shaped member to an open position, said second U-shaped member being secured to one of said panels, a panel secured to said first U-shaped member to define therewith a receptacle closure member, resilient latching means disposed on one of said bridge members engageable with the other bridge member normally to retain said first U-shaped member in closed position, and a first boss located on one of said bridge members and directed toward the other of said bridge members and laterally spaced from said latching means, and defining a fulcrum about which said first U-shaped member may be rocked relative to said second U-shaped member to effect a release of said latching means.

2. An improved Wallet in accordance with claim 1, including a second boss located on one of said bridge members and directed toward the other of said bridge members and laterally spaced from said latching on the opposite side thereof relative to said first boss.

3. An improved wallet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said latching means includes a resilient finger projecting from one of said bridge portions to the other of said bridge portions and includes a detent and said other bridge portion is provided with an edge adapted to engage said detent.

4. An improved wallet in accordance with claim 1, wherein said latching means and said first boss are located on the bridge portion of said second U-shaped member.

5. An improved receptacle comprising a pair of panels secured along their contiguous lower edges, a frame member for said receptacle including first and second U-shaped members having bridge portions and side legs, said side legs being attached to the side edges of said panels and the ends of said side legs being hinge-com nected whereby said first U-shaped member is movable relative to said second U-shaped member between a closed mutually confronting parallel position and an open mutually angular position, spring means engaging said first U-shaped member and normally urging said first U-shaped member to an open position, resilient latching means disposed on one of said bridge members engageable with the other bridge member normally to retain said first U-shaped member in closed position, and a boss located on one of said bridge members and directed to the other of said bridge members and laterally spaced from said latching means, and defining a fulcrum about which said first U-shaped member may be rocked relative to said second U-shaped member to effect a release of said latching means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

